We stayed on the Cameret sur Mer Aire several years ago and walked to see all the Atlantic wall gun emplacements.Today has been a bit frustrating. The plan was to drive to the aire near the Pointe de Corsen, the most westerly point of mainland France. We've stayed here before and someone came around every evening to collect the money but now there is a machine at the entrance. All the instructions were in French and it happily took our money but we needed water and this where we got stuck. The machine printed out a ticket with a QR code which I then presented at the correct spot and it went "beep" but nothing happened. There was a number to ring which I did but it was answered by a recorded message which had a lot to say but it went over my head although at the end it seemed to ask me to press a number followed by a hash. I tried several digits but all were not correct apparently.
So we retreated and drove to the Crozon peninsula which is a popular and pleasant area.
View attachment 942107
We are at the CCP aire at Le Flet near Cameret sur Mer.
View attachment 942104
It's built on an old railway line which is now a foot and cycle path.
View attachment 942108
We did a bit of geocaching this afternoon finding 2 out of 3. This was one of them, the base of a shotgun cartridge in a hole in a tree.
View attachment 942105
I took this photo because according to Google Maps there is a CCP aire here, which of course there isn't. Two locations are showing but only one is correct.I'll submit an edit.
View attachment 942106
This is an old windmill we spotted while looking for a geocache. It might be hard to spot but the weather vane on the roof is in the shape of a cat.
View attachment 942103
Two Go Back to France
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We might try and squeeze in there tomorrow. Currently it's full but hopefully it may thin out on Sunday afternoon. This aire we are on now only has one spot left. Several MHs are obviously rented, they have numbers written on the front doors such as V257.
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We visited the Pointe des Espagnols this morning which is the northern point of the Crozon peninsula and the closest bit to Brest. The name comes from when the Spanish built a fort on the headland during a war with France in 1594.
We have been here before but a lot of work has been done since our last visit. New paths, information boards and a lot of repointing of the stonework.
There's a lot of history here, Napoleonic to WW2 and too complicated to describe briefly.
The restoration work is still on going. Some of the iron work is unpainted and deliberately left to rust. It works well here I think in this military site.
The fortifications are all about artillery. This 32cm gun has an interesting past.
Former gun emplacements. This wasn't here on our last visit I think so may have only recently been uncovered.
The view from the Pointe. Brest in the distance. Submarine pens just right of centre if you zoom in. Impressive display of fore top sails, spankers, jibs or whatevers in the foreground.
We decided to move after our walk and have ended up at Locronan where there is an aire.
This is one of the Plus Beaux Villages or most Beautiful Villages of France and is a tourist magnet.
But if you do a bit of geocaching you can find some quiet paths.
For once in France we had a successful hunt with 3 out of 3 found.
But our walk brought us back to Locronan eventually.
I'm often intrigued by the history you can find in old walls which show their past in their stones. Blocked off doors are common but what can you make of this? It's a door but across two buildings. Very odd.
We have been here before but a lot of work has been done since our last visit. New paths, information boards and a lot of repointing of the stonework.
There's a lot of history here, Napoleonic to WW2 and too complicated to describe briefly.
The restoration work is still on going. Some of the iron work is unpainted and deliberately left to rust. It works well here I think in this military site.
The fortifications are all about artillery. This 32cm gun has an interesting past.
Former gun emplacements. This wasn't here on our last visit I think so may have only recently been uncovered.
The view from the Pointe. Brest in the distance. Submarine pens just right of centre if you zoom in. Impressive display of fore top sails, spankers, jibs or whatevers in the foreground.
We decided to move after our walk and have ended up at Locronan where there is an aire.
This is one of the Plus Beaux Villages or most Beautiful Villages of France and is a tourist magnet.
But if you do a bit of geocaching you can find some quiet paths.
For once in France we had a successful hunt with 3 out of 3 found.
But our walk brought us back to Locronan eventually.
I'm often intrigued by the history you can find in old walls which show their past in their stones. Blocked off doors are common but what can you make of this? It's a door but across two buildings. Very odd.
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After a night of fairly heavy rain I was glad to pull away this morning without any skidding as it was slightly uphill to the service point. We then did a bit of shopping, more of which later, and have stopped for tonight at one of the CCP aires in Port Louis. This is where we are, under the blue blob.
Zoomed in:
There are no less than 3 CCP aires in Port Louis and a 4th one across the water in Gâvres. We are in the Côte Rouge one which even has an electronic sign outside showing the number of spaces available in the 3 local Aires.
I discovered there was a laundrette a five minute walk away so we filled a couple of shopping bags with clothes, bedding and towels and visited it. Many take cards but this one was coins only but we have a stash put away for just this purpose so everything went smoothly.
While the machine was doing its stuff we visited the Phare de Poulfanc which you can see on the map above.
It isn't as old as I thought having been commissioned in 1854 according to Wikipedia.
fr.wikipedia.org
Its purpose is to guide vessels safely into Port Louis by lining up with a church spire further inland. At night there may have been a lamp as the window you can see at the top faces the port entrance.
But we couldn't get close to it as it is now inside a building site!
There was a bit of kite surfing going on, including one using a board with hydrofoils. He just held an inflatable wing above his head and shot off at a quick pace.
Port Louis.
We did two sorts of shopping this morning, before arriving here. The first was the normal shop at an Intermarché but the second was slightly out of the order.
I bought one of these:
Needed because ours has expired. The plan is to fit it tomorrow.
Zoomed in:
There are no less than 3 CCP aires in Port Louis and a 4th one across the water in Gâvres. We are in the Côte Rouge one which even has an electronic sign outside showing the number of spaces available in the 3 local Aires.
I discovered there was a laundrette a five minute walk away so we filled a couple of shopping bags with clothes, bedding and towels and visited it. Many take cards but this one was coins only but we have a stash put away for just this purpose so everything went smoothly.
While the machine was doing its stuff we visited the Phare de Poulfanc which you can see on the map above.
It isn't as old as I thought having been commissioned in 1854 according to Wikipedia.
Phare de Poulfanc — Wikipédia
Its purpose is to guide vessels safely into Port Louis by lining up with a church spire further inland. At night there may have been a lamp as the window you can see at the top faces the port entrance.
But we couldn't get close to it as it is now inside a building site!
There was a bit of kite surfing going on, including one using a board with hydrofoils. He just held an inflatable wing above his head and shot off at a quick pace.
Port Louis.
We did two sorts of shopping this morning, before arriving here. The first was the normal shop at an Intermarché but the second was slightly out of the order.
I bought one of these:
Needed because ours has expired. The plan is to fit it tomorrow.
- Sep 7, 2017
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I didn’t know they expire? Why is that?After a night of fairly heavy rain I was glad to pull away this morning without any skidding as it was slightly uphill to the service point. We then did a bit of shopping, more of which later, and have stopped for tonight at one of the CCP aires in Port Louis. This is where we are, under the blue blob.
View attachment 943695
Zoomed in:
View attachment 943699
There are no less than 3 CCP aires in Port Louis and a 4th one across the water in Gâvres. We are in the Côte Rouge one which even has an electronic sign outside showing the number of spaces available in the 3 local Aires.
I discovered there was a laundrette a five minute walk away so we filled a couple of shopping bags with clothes, bedding and towels and visited it. Many take cards but this one was coins only but we have a stash put away for just this purpose so everything went smoothly.
While the machine was doing its stuff we visited the Phare de Poulfanc which you can see on the map above.
View attachment 943694
It isn't as old as I thought having been commissioned in 1854 according to Wikipedia.
Phare de Poulfanc — Wikipédia
Its purpose is to guide vessels safely into Port Louis by lining up with a church spire further inland. At night there may have been a lamp as the window you can see at the top faces the port entrance.
But we couldn't get close to it as it is now inside a building site!
View attachment 943698
There was a bit of kite surfing going on, including one using a board with hydrofoils. He just held an inflatable wing above his head and shot off at a quick pace.
View attachment 943696
Port Louis.
View attachment 943693
We did two sorts of shopping this morning, before arriving here. The first was the normal shop at an Intermarché but the second was slightly out of the order.
I bought one of these:
View attachment 943697
Needed because ours has expired. The plan is to fit it tomorrow.
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DBK
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I don't know but it's dead, 42 volts were going in at the PV terminals from the two panels connected in series on the roof but no signs of life, the 3 LEDs stayed dark and no output.
"Il mort" as the man in the shop today agreed. The shop was in Lorient and they carry a range of Victron controllers in stock should anyone else find themselves needing one in this part of France.
Électricité Marine | Teem électronique | France
Teem Electronique, spécialisé dans l'électricité et l'électronique marine depuis 2001. Course et plaisance, projet neuf ou refit. Nous sommes également importateurs exclusifs en France pour les éoliennes Superwind ainsi que pour du câbles étamés. Nos marques sont nke, Icom, Furuno, Koden...
www.teem-electronique.fr
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What a pain, at least you got a replacement.I don't know but it's dead, 42 volts were going in at the PV terminals from the two panels connected in series on the roof but no signs of life, the 3 LEDs stayed dark and no output.
"Il mort" as the man in the shop today agreed. The shop was in Lorient and they carry a range of Victron controllers in stock should anyone else find themselves needing one in this part of France.
Électricité Marine | Teem électronique | France
Teem Electronique, spécialisé dans l'électricité et l'électronique marine depuis 2001. Course et plaisance, projet neuf ou refit. Nous sommes également importateurs exclusifs en France pour les éoliennes Superwind ainsi que pour du câbles étamés. Nos marques sont nke, Icom, Furuno, Koden...
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I half expected they would have to order one so I was pleased to find they had them on the shelf. I found them from Victron's website which has a where to buy page. There are lots of outlets but many are installers who probably don't carry stock. The Teem place was an actual shop, serving the boat/yacht trade. The man asked where my boat was and chuckled when I pointed to my camping-car parked outside.
At least an easy exchange fix, just a reminder to connect the battery first before the panels to the controller…
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Indeed, although the written instructions which came with it don't mention this. It just says disconnect the batteries then connect everything including the PV panels.At least an easy exchange fix, just a reminder to connect the battery first before the panels to the controller…
If you see a puff of smoke to the south tomorrow you will know something went wrong.
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I wonder if the two buildings were joined at one point in time, maybe there was a disagreement and the house were separated or some German bombing did damage.
I agree tho, looking at old buildings with odd bits of stone work, blocked up bits and discrepancies is fascinating to try to work out what was going on!
PS. How long are you in France for this time?
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We cycled over to Gavres a few years ago , it’s a nice little spot . The road across to it is sometimes shut for the military firing range. We later went back to Gavres and stayed in an aire by the side of the football pitch , it wasn’t a ccp but may have become one since then.There are no less than 3 CCP aires in Port Louis and a 4th one across the water in Gâvres. We are in the Côte Rouge one which even has an electronic sign outside showing the number of spaces available in the 3 local Aires.
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We catch the ferry back on 9th October.
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The first hour or so of this morning was spent fitting the replacement Victron MPPT solar controller. For once I actually read and followed the instructions ( ) which involved disconnecting the batteries, wiring everything up then reconnecting the batteries. Previously, I haven't connected the solar panels until after connecting the batteries as this was the procedure to tell the device whether it was in a 12 or 24 volt system. That seems to have changed and it worked out what it was supposed to do straight away.
The new charger has Bluetooth so of course I've installed the Victron app and can now obsess over what the solar is doing like everyone else who has this does.
The batteries were already fully charged so it didn't do much but at least it was charging at the correct voltage so all seems well. There is a small current showing on the load terminals as I've connected a PC fan to them in an attempt to improve cooling in the space where it sits along with the other electrical stuff. What I want to do is arrange for the hot air to be expelled out of this space but I haven't got around to this yet.
We then drove for about an hour to the CCP aire on the coast at Sarzeau. Blue blob in the middle at the bottom is us.
We drove through some heavy showers on the way here but the sun was shining when we arrived and it has stayed like that so far but showers are forecast for tomorrow.
The beach here has a sailing school.
Paths behind the beach took us on a circular walk and some gentle geocaching.
And that's it for today.
) which involved disconnecting the batteries, wiring everything up then reconnecting the batteries. Previously, I haven't connected the solar panels until after connecting the batteries as this was the procedure to tell the device whether it was in a 12 or 24 volt system. That seems to have changed and it worked out what it was supposed to do straight away.The new charger has Bluetooth so of course I've installed the Victron app and can now obsess over what the solar is doing like everyone else who has this does.
The batteries were already fully charged so it didn't do much but at least it was charging at the correct voltage so all seems well. There is a small current showing on the load terminals as I've connected a PC fan to them in an attempt to improve cooling in the space where it sits along with the other electrical stuff. What I want to do is arrange for the hot air to be expelled out of this space but I haven't got around to this yet.
We then drove for about an hour to the CCP aire on the coast at Sarzeau. Blue blob in the middle at the bottom is us.
We drove through some heavy showers on the way here but the sun was shining when we arrived and it has stayed like that so far but showers are forecast for tomorrow.
The beach here has a sailing school.
Paths behind the beach took us on a circular walk and some gentle geocaching.
And that's it for today.
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We've had a couple of quiet days but have ended up near Nantes. Before leaving Sarzeau I took Charlie for a quick walk. The sailing school were getting ready for a large group of children.
Our first stop was for food and I was yet again amazed by the wide selection of tomatoes you can get here in France and also Spain.
This is where we are tonight.
That's us under the usual blue blob near the Loire. We are at the CCP aire at Rouons which is built on the towpath by the Buzay canal.
Most of the pitches here are grass but given the recent and forecast rain we took one of the hard standing pitches and were soon joined on them by two more UK motorhomes.
We found a circular walk we could do in the afternoon and afterwards I had a play with my radio reaching as far as Utah in the USA!
We are going to move again tomorrow to the coast for the weekend.
Boring radio photos follow.
I was doing a Parks On The Air (POTA) activation and managed to complete the first ever activation of the Loire Estuary. A French website gives the boundaries of the protected estuary area and the very end of the aire is just within it, so that was where I sat.
Our first stop was for food and I was yet again amazed by the wide selection of tomatoes you can get here in France and also Spain.
This is where we are tonight.
That's us under the usual blue blob near the Loire. We are at the CCP aire at Rouons which is built on the towpath by the Buzay canal.
Most of the pitches here are grass but given the recent and forecast rain we took one of the hard standing pitches and were soon joined on them by two more UK motorhomes.
We found a circular walk we could do in the afternoon and afterwards I had a play with my radio reaching as far as Utah in the USA!
We are going to move again tomorrow to the coast for the weekend.
Boring radio photos follow.
I was doing a Parks On The Air (POTA) activation and managed to complete the first ever activation of the Loire Estuary. A French website gives the boundaries of the protected estuary area and the very end of the aire is just within it, so that was where I sat.
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The photo of that looks really familiar and I realise that we have stayed there in that car park before they put a height barrier up. We haven’t been there for a few years as it became a bit ‘Motorhome unfriendly’ but as there is now a ccp we will return, it’s a lovely spot for walking.
On that beach were quite a few French foraging in deep water , we think they were successfully oyster catching.
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Carrefour are a bit pricy for us but we may have to find one as our basil in a pot is close to expiring. You would think every French supermarket would sell fresh basil, but they don't.
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Yes, there's a height barrier and a sign cursing MHs who try to stay overnight.
They are keen on "Pêche à pied" around the Morbihan. Spring tides bring the locals out in numbers. Signs show minimum sizes and sometimes maximum quantities you can harvest. I've seen police checking catches so the rules are applied.
* "Fishing on foot". Serious types use wet suits to get out further.
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Yes, a bit surprising. But also odd is the complete absence of fresh chillies from French and Spanish supermarkets for much of the year. Especially so in southern France and Spain where chilli figures quite highly in many recipes. They seem to rely heavily on dried ones.Carrefour are a bit pricy for us but we may have to find one as our basil in a pot is close to expiring. You would think every French supermarket would sell fresh basil, but they don't.
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We popped into a Super U yesterday to stock up for the weekend and nearly fainted in shock when we found fresh basil in a pot! What we didn't find, and haven't found anywhere were tangerines. Oranges yes, tangerines or clementines not visible anywhere we've visited so far. Very odd but perhaps linked to the French passion for eating things when they are in season and the season for tangerines is the winter. 
We have driven to the coast in the hope the weather might be better here.
Zoomed in.
We've been here before, the CCP aire at La Barre de Monts, but there are good opportunities for walking and with pleasant weather in the afternoon we went for longish walk of just over two hours. We started on the coastal path and walked south. The photo below is taken looking back which is why the sea is on the left.
The land or what might be called the littoral is old sand dunes which are covered in a pine forest, the Fôret domanial des pays de Monts.
Tide well out.
After a while we turned inland, the forest is full of paths and tracks, to do a bit of geocaching before returning through the forest back to the air.
After feeding Charlie the dog I took my radio across the road and set up on a bit of grass.
This was another Parks On The Air (POTA) activation and after a slow start I managed to collect the minimum of 10 contacts needed to qualify the activation. Unlike Thursday I didn't have any contacts in the US but managed one into Ontario, Canada.
This morning has been dry and pleasant so far but rain is expected later. However, the forecast for next week is improving.
What we didn't find, and haven't found anywhere were tangerines. Oranges yes, tangerines or clementines not visible anywhere we've visited so far. Very odd but perhaps linked to the French passion for eating things when they are in season and the season for tangerines is the winter. We have driven to the coast in the hope the weather might be better here.
Zoomed in.
We've been here before, the CCP aire at La Barre de Monts, but there are good opportunities for walking and with pleasant weather in the afternoon we went for longish walk of just over two hours. We started on the coastal path and walked south. The photo below is taken looking back which is why the sea is on the left.
The land or what might be called the littoral is old sand dunes which are covered in a pine forest, the Fôret domanial des pays de Monts.
Tide well out.
After a while we turned inland, the forest is full of paths and tracks, to do a bit of geocaching before returning through the forest back to the air.
After feeding Charlie the dog I took my radio across the road and set up on a bit of grass.
This was another Parks On The Air (POTA) activation and after a slow start I managed to collect the minimum of 10 contacts needed to qualify the activation. Unlike Thursday I didn't have any contacts in the US but managed one into Ontario, Canada.
This morning has been dry and pleasant so far but rain is expected later. However, the forecast for next week is improving.
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Not much to report today, we woke to the sound of rain on the skylights but it had stopped by the time I took Charlie for his walk.
I spent the morning putting together the latest edition of the Murvi Owners' Club newsletter, which I'm the editor of. I've always done this at home on a PC but having signed up with Microsoft everything is now in their cloud so the articles submitted by club members, which I had saved, should in theory all be available to me from this aire in France.
A quick check revealed they were but I hadn't installed Microsoft Office on my Surface tablet.
It was likely to be a large download so instead of using the 4G router in the van I set my phone up as a WiFi hot-spot as it had a 5G signal. At home in Devon I sometimes have to stand at the front gate to get any sort of signal but here in rural France there was 5G with a download speed of over 200mbps according to the speed test I did.
It still took over an hour to install, the bottleneck wasn't the downloading but the shear amount of CPU effort and disk writing and reading needed to install all the apps. My tablet is the cheapest MS Surface so it lacks a bit of processing speed.
But eventually it was completed and I could get on with the Newsletter. I wrote an article myself on the Comfortmatic and the need for visits to Adams Morey in Portsmouth, relying heavily on what I've learned here on MHF. For which sincere thanks to all contributors to that thread.
In the afternoon we had a gentle walk along the shore, finding one geocache and failing on another which looked as if some rock climbing was needed!
View attachment 942486
The walk started gently but then we noticed the tide was coming in quite quickly so we didn't linger!
I photographed this typical Breton cottage as we walked back through Le Flet. Note the absence of rain gutters which you find on older houses. New ones have gutters but discrete ones which are hard to spot. The Astroturf is decidedly not traditional! Also non-traditional is my editing of the image to remove a trailer parked in front of the house. I haven't done a very good job because you can still some its shadow in the lower left.
View attachment 942487
This was worth recording, a couple travelling with a donkey.
View attachment 942489
This is not an uncommon sight in the Cevennes where folk follow the Stephenson Trail in the footsteps of the author and his donkey Modestine, but it was a first for me in Brittany.
We may move a little way tomorrow.
I did that trail & met a few donkeys similarly packed. It rained a lot innthe Cevennes!!
Shrimp
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Never found tangerines/clementines or any of the small ‘oranges’ when we were in F this spring.
The French don’t import a lot of foods as we do!
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Monday is Washday so we stopped at the Intermarché supermarket in Challans which Google Maps said had a laundry - and it did and by supermarket standards it was out of the ordinary with 7 washing machines and 6 dryers.
While our "smalls" were being washed we also did a bit of shopping of course.
I know I am a bit boring on this subject but French supermarket tomato displays are impressive.
The large yellow, red and greenish ones were all the same price so we were put a selection in the same bag - mistake! At Intermarché shops they weigh produce at checkout and our mixing three different types in the same bag didn't go down well. My two word explanation of "même prix" either worked or the cashier just took pity on us.
But look what we found today!
Mandarines at last but look at the fruit to the left of them. When did you last see quince in a supermarket?
We must also try some of the mushroom selection available.
Girolles in the top right but this being the Vendée on my shopping list were two bags of these. They are a dried bean popular in this region, particularly for the dish grillée de mogettes which I try to have for breakfast at least once a week.
We have stopped tonight at a former municipal campsite (now CCP) at St Cyr en Talmondais a bit north of La Rochelle.
After lunch we walked to a place called the Floral Parc which is on the other side of the village. The village was easily reached on a quiet road but the stretch from the village to the parc was beside a busy road. So I took a detour which took us on tracks and paths and doubled the distance we needed to take compared to the direct route.
We got there eventually and perhaps because of the effort needed to arrive we didn't hesitate for too long over the €13.50 entry price.
The place has similarities with the Lost Gardens of Heligan but with an added French twist of hints of Monet's Garden.
I'll let some of the photographs explain what it's like.
The last one of a tree was animated - it blinked and it's lips moved and spoke. Speakers behind each of the musical instruments played music from each instrument.
These photos might need a bit of explanation unless you recognise the plant which were found growing all around a small lake.
The flowers were impressive.
The centre is the seed head, which is small in the flowering stage but starts to grow after the petals have been shed.
When mature the seeds are loose and can fall into the water.
I wouldn't have recognised it but this is the lotus plant Nelumbo nucifera.
We returned by the shorter direct route along the busy road. The wide grass verges had been mown and walking was easy.
so we stopped at the Intermarché supermarket in Challans which Google Maps said had a laundry - and it did and by supermarket standards it was out of the ordinary with 7 washing machines and 6 dryers.While our "smalls" were being washed we also did a bit of shopping of course.
I know I am a bit boring on this subject
but French supermarket tomato displays are impressive.The large yellow, red and greenish ones were all the same price so we were put a selection in the same bag - mistake! At Intermarché shops they weigh produce at checkout and our mixing three different types in the same bag didn't go down well. My two word explanation of "même prix" either worked or the cashier just took pity on us.
But look what we found today!
Mandarines at last but look at the fruit to the left of them. When did you last see quince in a supermarket?
We must also try some of the mushroom selection available.
Girolles in the top right but this being the Vendée on my shopping list were two bags of these. They are a dried bean popular in this region, particularly for the dish grillée de mogettes which I try to have for breakfast at least once a week.
We have stopped tonight at a former municipal campsite (now CCP) at St Cyr en Talmondais a bit north of La Rochelle.
After lunch we walked to a place called the Floral Parc which is on the other side of the village. The village was easily reached on a quiet road but the stretch from the village to the parc was beside a busy road. So I took a detour which took us on tracks and paths and doubled the distance we needed to take compared to the direct route.
We got there eventually and perhaps because of the effort needed to arrive we didn't hesitate for too long over the €13.50 entry price.
The place has similarities with the Lost Gardens of Heligan but with an added French twist of hints of Monet's Garden.
I'll let some of the photographs explain what it's like.
The last one of a tree was animated - it blinked and it's lips moved and spoke. Speakers behind each of the musical instruments played music from each instrument.
These photos might need a bit of explanation unless you recognise the plant which were found growing all around a small lake.
The flowers were impressive.
The centre is the seed head, which is small in the flowering stage but starts to grow after the petals have been shed.
When mature the seeds are loose and can fall into the water.
I wouldn't have recognised it but this is the lotus plant Nelumbo nucifera.
We returned by the shorter direct route along the busy road. The wide grass verges had been mown and walking was easy.
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We continue to head south and have stopped beside the Charente river at Taillebourg.
The aire is just below the ruined walls of an old castle, little of which apart from this tower remain.
In the lower left you can see efforts to keep what's left of the castle together.
It's possible to walk to the other side of the tower through the grounds of a 19th century house now owned by the town I think.
Firmly locked but the presence of the flag pole suggests it can be ascended.
There are replica engines of war here. This is a small trébuchet. The part looking like a hen house would be filled with stones and provided the force to flick the long arm round to hurl a rock.
This a battering ram. The building behind it is a primary school where the pupils must be imbued by a strong sense of history by its presence.
A large display told the story of the town. This is just one of many illustrations.
The castle and the 19th century house are at the top. The written bit says triangular rigged ships were the best until the arrival of steam-power left them redundant.
The view of the Charente river from the ramparts. We followed the Charente from mouth to source last year so it has become something of a friend.
In the afternoon I set up my radio beside the river.
The aire is just below the ruined walls of an old castle, little of which apart from this tower remain.
In the lower left you can see efforts to keep what's left of the castle together.
It's possible to walk to the other side of the tower through the grounds of a 19th century house now owned by the town I think.
Firmly locked but the presence of the flag pole suggests it can be ascended.
There are replica engines of war here. This is a small trébuchet. The part looking like a hen house would be filled with stones and provided the force to flick the long arm round to hurl a rock.
This a battering ram. The building behind it is a primary school where the pupils must be imbued by a strong sense of history by its presence.
A large display told the story of the town. This is just one of many illustrations.
The castle and the 19th century house are at the top. The written bit says triangular rigged ships were the best until the arrival of steam-power left them redundant.
The view of the Charente river from the ramparts. We followed the Charente from mouth to source last year so it has become something of a friend.
In the afternoon I set up my radio beside the river.
OP
OP
DBK
LIFE MEMBER
Our original plan was to stay two nights at Taillebourg but today was forecast to be wet so we decided to spend it travelling.
And for added variety we added a ferry to today's travel, the Royan to Point de Grave ferry or BAC as a ferry is known here. Finding the port in Royan was interesting, it's a very busy place and the final turn into the port is off a curious roundabout which we fluffed the first time and needed a second attempt.
I had found a timetable published on-line which suggested we would have over an hour's wait but after less than 15 minutes we first heard then saw the ferry arriving and we were soon boarding. This was fine in our PVC but MHs with a long rear overhang might make a few sparks.
The ferry has a curious and clever design. There is a lower deck where trucks and MHs go and an upper deck for cars. The clever bit is the upper deck is split down the middle to give the headroom the tallest vehicles need. The curious bit is this design means the ferry needs three ramps at each end. One for the lower deck and two for the upper deck either side of the open middle section. As shown in the photo below.
The same image also shows a ferry going the other way. My guess is the published timetables are the minimum service and when it's busy the ferries run continuously. The cost was €5 per person plus €37 for the PVC which from the ticket was classed as a car. It may be more expensive for larger MHs. Dogs are allowed on deck but the open steel stairs with see-through treads might be a challenge for dogs which can't be carried. We had already decided to leave Charlie in the 'van and he wasn't troubled by the 30 minute crossing.
This is where we've ended up after a 30 minute drive after landing at the aire at Montalivet.
The coast is about a kilometre away and after waiting for the light drizzle to ease we walked on paths through the trees to the coast.
It's a BIG beach and on a wet and breezy Wednesday not massively attractive to my jaundiced eye. On a sunny day it would be different and the masses of campsites around here testify to the popularity of the region.
What was interesting today was first spotted by the eagle-eyed Mrs DBK.
A bit of research revealed this distinctive thing is the gall of the wasp Andricus quercustozae which is rare, rated on the Red List for France. Galls are formed by insects and many other things including viruses. They are the plant's reaction to, in the case of the wasp, egg laying and chemicals in the fluids left by the insect. The larva remains in the gall until it is mature when it chews a hole and emerges.
We will emerge from the MH more easily tomorrow by opening the door.
And for added variety we added a ferry to today's travel, the Royan to Point de Grave ferry or BAC as a ferry is known here. Finding the port in Royan was interesting, it's a very busy place and the final turn into the port is off a curious roundabout which we fluffed the first time and needed a second attempt.
I had found a timetable published on-line which suggested we would have over an hour's wait but after less than 15 minutes we first heard then saw the ferry arriving and we were soon boarding. This was fine in our PVC but MHs with a long rear overhang might make a few sparks.
The ferry has a curious and clever design. There is a lower deck where trucks and MHs go and an upper deck for cars. The clever bit is the upper deck is split down the middle to give the headroom the tallest vehicles need. The curious bit is this design means the ferry needs three ramps at each end. One for the lower deck and two for the upper deck either side of the open middle section. As shown in the photo below.
The same image also shows a ferry going the other way. My guess is the published timetables are the minimum service and when it's busy the ferries run continuously. The cost was €5 per person plus €37 for the PVC which from the ticket was classed as a car. It may be more expensive for larger MHs. Dogs are allowed on deck but the open steel stairs with see-through treads might be a challenge for dogs which can't be carried. We had already decided to leave Charlie in the 'van and he wasn't troubled by the 30 minute crossing.
This is where we've ended up after a 30 minute drive after landing at the aire at Montalivet.
The coast is about a kilometre away and after waiting for the light drizzle to ease we walked on paths through the trees to the coast.
It's a BIG beach and on a wet and breezy Wednesday not massively attractive to my jaundiced eye. On a sunny day it would be different and the masses of campsites around here testify to the popularity of the region.
What was interesting today was first spotted by the eagle-eyed Mrs DBK.
A bit of research revealed this distinctive thing is the gall of the wasp Andricus quercustozae which is rare, rated on the Red List for France. Galls are formed by insects and many other things including viruses. They are the plant's reaction to, in the case of the wasp, egg laying and chemicals in the fluids left by the insect. The larva remains in the gall until it is mature when it chews a hole and emerges.
We will emerge from the MH more easily tomorrow by opening the door.
Last edited:
MichaelT
LIFE MEMBER
We've done that ferry a few times in 7.5m van and it was fine and from memory in high season 55 to 60 euro.Our original plan was to stay two nights at Taillebourg but today was forecast to be wet so we decided to spend it travelling.
And for added variety we added a ferry to today's travel, the Royan to Point de Grave ferry or BAC as a ferry is known here. Finding the port in Royan was interesting, it's a very busy place and the final turn into the port is off a curious roundabout which we fluffed the first time and needed a second attempt.
I had found a timetable published on-line which suggested we would have over an hour's wait but after less than 15 minutes we first heard then saw the ferry arriving and we were soon boarding. This was fine in our PVC but MHs with a long rear overhang might make a few sparks.
The ferry has a curious and clever design. There is a lower deck where trucks and MHs go and an upper deck for cars. The clever bit is the upper deck is split down the middle to give the headroom the tallest vehicles need. The curious bit is this design means the ferry needs three ramps at each end. One for the lower deck and two for the upper deck either side of the open middle section. As shown in the photo below.
View attachment 947939
The same image also shows a ferry going the other way. My guess is the published timetables are the minimum service and when it's busy the ferries run continuously. The cost was €5 per person plus €37 for the PVC which from the ticket was classed as a car. It may be more expensive for larger MHs. Dogs are allowed on deck but the open steel stairs with see-through treads might be a challenge for dogs which can't be carried. We had already decided to leave Charlie in the 'van and he wasn't troubled by the 30 minute crossing.
This is where we've ended up after a 30 minute drive after landing at the aire at Montalivet.
View attachment 947964
The coast is about a kilometre away and after waiting for the light drizzle we walked on paths through the trees to the coast.
View attachment 947965
View attachment 947966
It's a BIG beach and on a wet and breezy Wednesday not massively attractive to my jaundice eye. On a sunny day it would be different and the masses of campsites around here testify to the popularity of the region.
What was interesting today was first spotted by the eagle-eyed Mrs DBK.
View attachment 947982
View attachment 947981
A bit of research revealed this distinctive thing is the gall of the wasp Andricus quercustozae which is rare, rated on the Red List for France. Galls are formed by insects and many other things including viruses. They are the plant's reaction to, in the case of the wasp, egg laying and chemicals in the fluids left by the insect. The larva remains in the gall until it is mature when it chews a hole and emerges.
We will emerge from the MH more easily tomorrow by opening the door.
Are you at the big aire in town or the one in the pines, we love the one in the pines and the town is one of our favourite places.
OP
OP
DBK
LIFE MEMBER
We're in the pines, if that's the inland one. Didn't fancy being near the coast given the weather when we arrived. The paint is a bit loose in places on the 'van already and additional sand blasting is not required.
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